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Below, Grove teachers can find everything needed to plan, communicate, and stay aligned with our vision to provide a living education at The Grove. You’ll find an overview of how we structure lessons, where to link and submit plans, narration resources, teacher expectations, and reimbursement details for classroom expenses.
Below, Grove teachers can find everything needed to plan, communicate, and stay aligned with our vision to provide a living education at The Grove. You’ll find an overview of how we structure lessons, where to link and submit plans, narration resources, teacher expectations, and reimbursement details for classroom expenses.
The Grove could not exist without your love, diligence, and dedication to this collective vision. We are deeply grateful for the gift each teacher brings to this community.
The Grove could not exist without your love, diligence, and dedication to this collective vision. We are deeply grateful for the gift each teacher brings to this community.
Relational Teaching Methods
Relational Teaching Methods
"In Mason's model, the teacher is not the "sage on the stage," but the "guide on the side". The teacher's job is not to tell students everything they need to know, but to spread the feast and allow students to do the hard work of self-education. This is quite a paradigm shift. It takes some time to realize that standing aside is the best thing a teacher can do. If a child is a person and the goal of education is to build relationships, the role of the teacher as traditionally conceived is not suited for this kind of relational education. There must be a new way of viewing the role of the teacher so students can be the active participants. In this video, Dr. Shannon Whiteside explains what it means to stand aside and how the role of the teacher in a Mason education differs from the role of the teacher in a tradition educational model." (Charlotte Mason Institute).
Reflection questions:
Reflection questions:
How does my lesson create space for the student to do the work of learning—through attention, narration, and connection—instead of relying on me to carry the content?
(Am I stepping back enough to let the child think, wonder, and respond on their own?)Have I planned this lesson with simplicity and trust, knowing that even a small offering—done faithfully—can carry living ideas?
(Am I tempted to overfill, overteach, or overcontrol, or am I trusting the method and the student?)How am I holding space for a peaceful, attentive atmosphere in my classroom?
(Are transitions gentle? Am I modeling habits of attention and care alongside the students?)Am I showing up as a guide, friend, and fellow learner, more than an expert or performer?
(How does my presence support the relational, idea-rich work of the day?)Have I made room for delight and discovery—not just efficiency or completion—in this lesson?
(Do I expect students to be present, but not perfect?)
“A child’s individuality plays about what he enjoys, and the story comes from his lips, not precisely as the author tells it, but with a certain spirit and coloring which express the narrator. A narration should be original as it comes from the child–that is, his own mind should have acted upon the matter it has received” (Home Education, p. 289).
“And the child will relate what he has heard point by point, though not word for word, and will add delightful original touches; what is more, he will relate the passage months later because he has visualised the scene and appropriated that bit of knowledge. If a passage be read more than once, he may become letter-perfect, but the spirit, the individuality has gone out of the exercise” (A Philosophy of Education, p. 29).
“One thing at any rate we know with certainty, that no teaching, no information becomes knowledge to any of us until the individual mind has acted upon it, translated it, transformed, absorbed it, to reappear, like our bodily food, in forms of vitality” (A Philosophy of Education, p. 240).
Reflection Questions:
Reflection Questions:
If a new family asked what narration looks like in your class, how would you describe it?
What is something new you’ve tried—or would like to try—to make narration more natural or meaningful for your students?
What’s been the hardest part of holding space for narration on Tuesdays? How might you work gently toward growth in that area?
How do you act as a good audience when students narrate?
How might you help your students see narration as storytelling—something worth doing with joy and creativity?
"Method of Lesson.––In every case the reading should be consecutive from a well-chosen book.
1) Before the reading for the day begins, the teacher should talk a little (and get the children to talk) about the last lesson, with a few words about what is to be read, in order that the children may be animated by expectation; but she should beware of explanation and, especially, of forestalling the narrative.
2) Then, she may read two or three pages, enough to include an episode;
3) After that, let her call upon the children to narrate,––in turns, if there be several of them. They not only narrate with spirit and accuracy, but succeed in catching the style of their author. It is not wise to tease them with corrections; they may begin with an endless chain of 'ands,' but they soon leave this off, and their narrations become good enough in style and composition to be put in a 'print book'! This sort of narration lesson should not occupy more than a quarter of an hour.
4) The book should always be deeply interesting, and when the narration is over, there should be a little talk in which moral points are brought out, pictures shown to illustrate the lesson, or diagrams drawn on the blackboard.
These Charlotte Mason passages can be summarized by aiming to assemble a lesson into four parts:
RECAP: The student(s) provide a short review of the previous lesson to gain context for today's lesson in that subject.
INTRO: The teacher utilizes a sentence or two to stir interest in today’s reading. If needed, the teacher shares any unfamiliar words or geographical/cultural details about what the reading will cover. Maps, pictures, or videos may be helpful here to help the student create a mental image of the reading.
READ: The teacher reads a brief section for the student(s).
Narrate/Discuss: The teacher creates space for the student(s) to retell what he heard through narration. Narration allows each child to attend carefully, process the lesson for themselves, and express what they know in their own words, without the teacher stepping in to explain or interpret first. When we follow with discussion, we’re not telling students what to think, but inviting them to build on what they’ve already learned. Discussion is the response to knowing, which is proven during narration. A student cannot discuss what he does not know.
Reflection Questions:
Reflection Questions:
Where do I feel most confident in the rhythm of a Mason lesson, and where do I feel stretched?
Am I approaching each lesson as an act of invitation, trusting that the child, the idea, and the Holy Spirit are already at work together?
Relational Methods Resources
Relational Methods Resources
Being a Teacher at The Grove
Being a Teacher at The Grove
This Google Sheets template is available for all Grove teachers to use when creating their lesson plans for the year. You’re welcome to use it as-is, or simply refer to it as a guide while creating your plans in a format that works best for you.
While using this exact template is not required, we do hope every Grove teacher thoughtfully includes the four components of a Charlotte Mason lesson—Recap, Intro, Read, and Narrate/Discuss—whenever possible in the lessons they teach on Tuesdays.
Grove teachers are welcome to make supply purchases for their classes as needed throughout the term. Once a purchase is made, please remember to record it in the expense tracking spreadsheet so we can keep everything organized. Reimbursements for approved purchases will be issued at the end of each term.
If you anticipate a larger or recurring expense—such as a class set of materials or weekly items like snacks—please reach out to the Grove directors. We’re happy to make those purchases for you!
At The Grove, we use Syllabird to keep our community connected and our weekly rhythms running smoothly. Each teacher is responsible for updating their class’s homework assignments in Syllabird every week. This gives moms the time they need to prepare for the week ahead and print out updated plans. Please have all assignments for the upcoming week entered by Friday evening so families can enter the weekend feeling ready and at peace.
This video is a helpful tutorial on how to use Syllabird as a teacher in our community. If you’re new or need a refresher, give it a watch!
Our Mama Notes serve as a central place for moms to stay up to date with their children’s classes and any community-wide updates. Each teacher is asked to check in on their Mama Notes and update them by Tuesday night if there are relevant details to share—this might include things like supplies needed, changes in rhythm, or questions multiple moms have asked.
There’s no need to add something every single week—just when it’s helpful! The goal is to keep moms in the loop and support the overall flow of communication at The Grove by pulling some of the week-to-week information off on GroupMe.
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